CSBJ Daily

Research shows that the recent drop in people without health insurance might be because more people enrolled in government-sponsored programs rather than in private insurance companies.

The U.S. Census Bureau reported that 45.7 million people do not have health insurance, a decrease of 1.3 million in 2006. Medicaid and the State Children’s Health Insurance Program are two reasons why, according to the report, Income, Poverty and Health Insurance Coverage in the U.S.

The bureau reported that Medicaid users rose to 39.6 million, up from 38.3 million.

The report shows that the percentage of people covered by private insurance and employment-based health plans decreased – private insurance coverage was to 65.7 percent, drown from 67.9 percent. And the percentage who received coverage from their jobs dropped to 59.3 percent from 59.7 percent.

Government health coverage increased to 27.8 percent during 2007, up from 27 percent during 2006.